OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - The temporary closure of the Southport Canal, also known as the C-35 Canal, has been extended in order to complete ongoing maintenance work. The canal stretches between Cypress Lake and Lake Tohopekaliga. The S-61 Boat Lock will also be closed to public access during this time. The canal and boat lock are expected to remain closed until Jan. 15, 2022.
Three boat locks maintained by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will be temporarily closed in January to allow for routine maintenance and safety inspections.
The S-310 Boat Lock near Clewiston is now open to public access during normal daytime operating hours, 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., effective immediately. Starting Oct. 1, the lock will be open 5:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Boats may now use the lock to navigate between Lake Okeechobee and the Industrial Canal and C-21 Canal.
Scheduled repairs on the S-61 Boat Lock from Lake Tohopekaliga to the C-35 Canal will take place from Monday, July 12 to Wednesday, July 28, 2021. The boat lock will be closed during this time.
All other navigational locks maintained by the South Florida Water Management District remain operational.
All SFWMD boat locks are open today, Monday, July 5 and tomorrow, Tuesday, July 6, and will follow their normal operating hours. The previous Navigation Notice that was sent on 7/2/21 has been cancelled.
Visit SFWMD.gov/Navigation to get the latest information on navigation through SFWMD structures and waterways.
Boaters should be aware of potential boat lock closures over the next few days due to possible impacts from Hurricane Elsa
With Hurricane Elsa expected to impact South Florida early next week, some boat locks will temporarily close in order to ensure public safety, prevent damage to the locks, and aid in flood protection operations.
The S-65A Boat Lock on the Kissimmee River is temporarily closed starting today to perform required maintenance and repairs. The S-65A Boat Lock will remain closed until June 15.
SFWMD routinely conducts safety inspections for all of its structures and performs preventative maintenance. Other navigational locks will be closed for inspections and repairs in the coming weeks.
Upcoming Temporary Closures
The S-131 Boat Lock near Lakeport is temporarily closed effective immediately due to required maintenance and repairs. SFWMD will notify the public when the boat lock is reopened. All other navigational locks maintained by the South Florida Water Management District on Lake Okeechobee remain operational.
The S-310 Boat Lock near Clewiston is now reopened to public access 24 hours a day, effective immediately. Hours of lock access are temporarily limited when Lake Okeechobee is higher than 15.5 feet NGVD.
Closure of ramp on PC41 Canal starting Jan. 27 necessary for ongoing maintenance of regional flood protection system
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) will temporarily close a boat ramp in Highlands County starting Jan. 27 in order to replace several culverts as part of ongoing maintenance of the regional flood control system.
The boat ramp is north of State Road 70 where it crosses the PC41 Canal west of the Kissimmee River in Highlands County. The boat ramp is expected to be reopened to the public by May 1 once the culverts are replaced.
